


A Contractor's Dilemma

by C_Sharpe



Category: Darker Than Black
Genre: Addiction, Drinking, Other, Paperwork
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-25
Updated: 2018-11-25
Packaged: 2019-08-29 07:35:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16739788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/C_Sharpe/pseuds/C_Sharpe
Summary: A logical paradox presents a particular problem for a certain contractor.





	A Contractor's Dilemma

**Author's Note:**

> Wanted to post this on November 11. Didn't manage that. Had it done, but life, 'ey?

“ _Analysis of physical characteristics compared to ethnic and national statistics suggest subject is of east or central Asian descent, aged 19 - 35 years…_ yes, that narrows it down quite a bloody lot.” 'Jack Simon' leaned back in the office chair and set the report down on his temporary desk, pinching the bridge of his nose. “The ever mysterious BK-201. You, my masked friend, are becoming quite the headache for me.”

 

He did have quite the headache, though it had less to do with his work and more to do with the unsavory habit that the universe had forced upon him. With a sigh, he pulled the powder blue handkerchief from his jacket’s breast pocket and mopped the sweat off his forehead. It had been eleven days since he had last used his abilities. Which meant it had been eleven days since he had been forced to smoke. He was now acutely aware of the pack in his pocket. His fingers reflexively curled around an invisible cigarette.

 

“No, thank you, not today.” He spoke quietly to the pack.

 

It presented quite the conundrum for a Contractor such as himself. On the one hand, logic clearly held that poisoning yourself was a decidedly bad idea. On the other hand, it was addictive, he was going to need to smoke again when he used his ability, and he was physically suffering at the moment, so what was the logic of abstaining? As his purely rational contractor mind wrestled with this logical paradox, his body reminded him that his upper lip was sweating and his fingers were actually physically itching to hold a cigarette.

 

April swaggered into the temporary office clutching the neck of a brown liquor bottle and clinking two glasses in her other hand.

 

“You’re looking a bit poorly there November.” April said, seating herself on the corner of his desk.

 

“And you are as beautiful as you are tactful my dear.” November said, digging the heels of his hands into his eyes. He picked up a manila folder stuffed with pages and photos and shook it in her general direction. “Seen the trades today? Ripping good read. ‘ _ _It can be reasonably concluded that the organization backing BK-201 has significant interests in gate related research and phenomena, and may be connected to one or more intelligence agencies’.__ Riveting.”

 

“Sounds it. Nicked some of the good stuff from upstairs. Fancy a drink?” She shook the bottle at him.

 

“No thank you, I believe that may very well kill me at the moment.” November said.

 

“More for me.” April said, pouring more than was common or even healthy into one of the glasses. She took a sip, and considered it for a moment. “Hmm. Needs something.”

 

“Perhaps a change of scenery?” November sighed moodily.

 

“Yeah, yeah.” She said. She moved over to the small generic looking water cooler and pulled the tab, letting a small amount of water flow out. A blue glow surrounded her as she twisted a small orb of water into the palm of her hand. Walking back over to the desk with the small ball of water hovering over her palm, she presented it to November.

 

“What, exactly am I meant to with that?” He asked, with a heavy sigh.

 

“Ice.” April said simply.

 

“Really?” November asked impatiently. “If I am to waste my considerable talents on this, it is on the condition that you will then drink it elsewhere and leave me to my deeply interesting work. Right?”

 

“Yep.” She said popping the “p”.

 

“Fine.” With resignation, he reached out a finger and in an instant the orb of water froze into a ball of ice. April dropped it into her drink, and took a sip.

 

“Thanks. Now go and take a cigarette break you stubborn fool.” She smirked, taking her drink and her bottle with her as she sauntered out of the room, July appearing from somewhere in the hallway and trailing after her. November stared after them in shock for a moment.

 

“Bet you think you’re so damned clever.” He mumbled around the cigarette already between his lips, retrieving the lighter from his pocket.


End file.
